Combined turbine and vapor generator.



v w. L. RJEM E-T. COMBINED TURBINE AND VAPOR GENERATOR. APPLICATION FIILED Nov. 2 6, 191 3. RENEW ED.NOV. so. 1915.

1,1 92,7 7 5. Patented Ju1 '25, 1916 Witnes ses: Inventor I William LREnfimgt.

H is Attorne q nnirnnj srnrns Parana curios...

WILLIAM L. R. EMMET, OF SCHENIECTADY, NEW YGRK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, ACORPOBATION OF NIEV] YORK.

COMBINED TURBINE AND VAPOR GENERATOR.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed November 26, 1913, Serial No. 803,179. Renewed Nove mber 30, 1915. Serial No. 64,386.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, \VlLLIAML. R. EM- :un'r, a citizen-of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Turblne and Vapor Generators, of Winch the.

following is a specification.

The present invention relates to turbines which are driven by vapors obtained from liquids having high boiling points, as mer; cury for example, and to means whereby the exhaust of such turbines can be economically utilized to vaporize a liquid having a lower boiling point, as water for example, the vapoi thus formed being employed'for some useful purpose, as driving an ordinary steam turbine for example. The great advantage of such a system or apparatus residesin the fact thatthe total range of temperature through which it operates can be made very great Without, however, dealing with such high pressures as would be the case if steam alone were used. In an organization of this kind, however, the high temperatures dealt with introduce problems not found in ordition of this heat and the avoidance of heat losses depends the eliicicncy of the apparatus as a whole. These high temperatures give rise to very considerable expanslon of the parts which, unless specifically taken care of,- will. cause serious distortions. Further, in order to prevent losses by radiation 'of the exhaust all of the parts should be heavily lagged. I

' The object of my invention is to provide improved apparatus for carrying out the process of generating power above referred-to.

' For a consideration of what -I believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing is shown one embodlment of my improved apparatus in vertical section.

1 indicates a base and mounted thereon is an alternating current three-phase generator 2... 1ts rotor is carried by the shaft 3 and'the latter is supported by bearings l. The. left hand endof the shaft is provided with a head 5 that fits into a socket in the bucket wheel or rotor 6. It will be noted that the usual axial hole for theshaft is omitted. By omitting said hole the wheel can be made much'lighter for the necessary strength, it being well understood that an axial hole in a high, speed rotating body weakens it very materially. Owing to the decrease in weight the wheel, can be overhung with respect to the adjacent bearing on the shaft 3'. U

Instead of providing separate casings for the turbine wheel and exhaust receiving means, I mount the rotor directly Within the casing or'shell 7 of what may be conveniently termed a condenser-boiler thereby saving one casing. 3 .By thus arranging the wheel the use of nqe lia utponduit is avoided and also all-1' ses in identjto its use. The arrangement manages active circulation of the high temperature vapor in the condenser-boiler, thereby increasing the effectiveness of its action. Further, since the parts are in the same casing the distance that the exhaust has*to traverse after leaving the. wheel and before reaching the condenser-boiler tubes is very short, the losses due to radiation will be substantially avoided, and the vapor caused to directly strike said tubes, an arrangement that facilitates the transfer of heat to the liquid undergoing vaporization in the tubes. Since the condenser also acts 'as a steam boiler and operatesat a high temperature'it is desirable to conserve the heat as fully as possi ble, and to this end it is entirely surrounded by heavy lagging 8. Locating the Wheel 'as -shown, besides making one casing or shell serve the purpose of two, obviates the necessity for a separate lagging for the turbine casing and for anexhaust conduit leading from the turbine to the condenser. It also avoids the necessity of any expansion joint between the turbine casing and the condenser with its lagging which, with the high temperatures contemplated, would be a mat ter of some inconvenience and considerable cost.

The'rotor is provided with one or more rows of buckets 9 of any suitableyconstructit tion, and mercury vapor is discharged against them by nozzles which may extend wholly or partially around the circumference-of the wheel. hlereury vapor undcr relatively low pressure is admitted to thenozzles from the chest 1 l, the latter having an inlet 12 connected to a suitable vapor generator.v This chest is also well lagged to reduce radiation losses. In effect the chest and shell form one structure and the lagging on the shell also covers the chest. To prevent any vapor from escaping through the shaft opening in the shell a packing 13 of suitable construction is provided. By

and 16, chamber 15- containing liquid iner (airy and its vapor, and chamber 16 water and steam. In the bottom of the chamber 15 is formed a pocket 17 from which liquid,

mercury is drained by the pipe 1.8. The rotation of the wheel will cause a most active circulation of the vapor in the shell, and as a result it will be efficiently condensed by the tubes 19, which in turn give up their heat to the water, said. tubes depending from the partition which also forms a tube sheet. The tubes 19 are closed at their lower ends and located inside of each of them is a second and smaller tube 20 open at both ends and so positioned that there will be a small annular space for steam and water between the two. In other' words, the tubes are in telescopic relation. The water will flow down the center tube and issue as steam and superheated water from said annular space. The number of these tubes will, of course, depend upon the amount of vapor to be condensed on the one hand, and the amount of steam to be delivered on the other. This arrangement of tubes is well adapted for the purpose owing to the freedom from stresses tending to loosen the joints in the tube sheet through expansion by variations in temperatures, and to its simplicity of construction. Since the heat delivered to all parts of the surface will be .very uniform, the construction will afford ample water circulation and release of steam, even if the tubes are made very long as might be desirable for reasons of economy, simplification in construction, and saving in floor space. The arrangement also makes possible removal or cleaning of the tubes from the top without any access to the bottom of the boiler which can be placed directly. on the floor. foundation. I can, however, use other tubing arrangements as will be appreciated. The tubes will ordinarily be staggered so as to further increase the elfective action of the hot mercury vapor on the outer tubes. lVater is admitted to the chamber 16 by thc pipe 21, the latter being connected to a pump or other suitable source of supply. Steam is discharged from the chamber by the pipe 22, which communicates with steam consuming apparatus, such as a turbine for example.

To simplify the illustration 1 have omitted the man-hole or c p1ivalcnt arrangement by means of which access may be had. to the boiler tubes and also the means whereby the turbine wheel can be taken out of the easing, since these form no part of the invention and can be of any suitable construction.

"In accordanc e with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I. desire to have it understood that the up paratus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried )ut by other means.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a casing that is divided into two principal chambers between which there is a free exchange of heat, one of said chambers containing a liquid of high boiling point and its vapor, and the other a liquid of lower boiling point and its vapor, a turbine rotor mounted in the first named chamber and exhausting into it, means for discharging vapor de-' ,rived from a illlld having a high boiling point to the rotor, a conduit for draining off the liquid due to condensation of said exhaust, a" conduit 'for supplying a liquid of lower boiling point to the other part of said casing, and a conduit leading therefrom for carrying oil the vapor of the last named liquid.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a casing that is divided into two principal chambers between which there is a free exchange of heat, one of said chambers containing a liquid of high boiling point and its vapor, and the other a liquid of lower boiling point and its vapor, a shaft that extends into the cas ing, a bearing for the shaft located outside of the casing, a turbine rotor mounted on one end of the shaft and within the first named chamber and exhausting into it, means for discharging the vapor of a fluid having a high boiling point against the buckets on the rotor, a conduit for draining oil the liquid due to condensation of said exhaust, a conduit for supplying a liquid of lower boiling point to theother chamber or said casing, and a conduitl'eading therefrom for carrying'ofi' the vapor of said liquid.

J 3; In an apparatus of the character de scribed, the combination of a casing, a turbinerotor located therein and driven by the.

vapor of a liquid having a relatively high boiling point, tubes located inthe casing ;'and containinga liquid having a lower boiling point than the first,v said tubesv act'- contained' in them, means for it 1s condensed, afico'nd'uit for feed.- liquid to the tubes, and a conduit tubes.

I means for discharging a, vapor chambers.

4. .In an apparatus o'fjth e character described, the combination of a casing, a par-- -f tition therein for dividing it into two prin v cipa-l chambers,

tition and extendinginto one. of the diam;-

tubes supported by the parbers, a..turb" e rotor mounted in one of I thecasmg and discharging its exhaust I against the outer surfaces of ihe mv ghfrom a fluid-' havinga high boiling pointi'ag ainst the buckets on the rotor, a .-condu1t ttor carrying off the-1 liquid conL-. vdensed by the tubes, a conduit for supplying water to the other chamber and to the interior of the tubes, and a conduit for conveying steam from the last named chamber. 5. In an apparatus of the character .de: scribed, the combination of a casing that is divided into ,two .principal chambers, the ,rw'alls, of oneof said chambers acting as a ,chamber and discharging its exhaust directly against said Wa11s, means forsupplya temperature above that of boiling Water,-a conduit for draining off the liquid conde'nsed by said walls, a conduit for supplying a liquid to the other chamber which is vaporlzed by the exhaust from the rotor, J and a conduit located in a part'of thelast named chamber and above the level of the liquid therein for 'carryin ofi vapor.

In Witness. whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this th day of November, 1913.

/ WILLIAM L. R. EMMET.

Witnesses;

BENJAMIN B..HULL, HELEN Onrono'.

,boile'r, aturbine rotor mounted in the other ing a vapor to the rotor which condenses at- I 

